EP4158177B1 - Vehicle with petrol combustion engine and control of the type of fuel used, and associated control method - Google Patents

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to vehicles comprising a heat engine consuming gasoline type fuel, from a tank, to provide torque to move them.

State of the art

Many vehicles include a powertrain (or GMP) comprising at least one thermal engine which is supplied with gasoline type fuel, from a tank, to provide torque to move them. Sometimes, when a person fills the tank (partially or completely), they choose the wrong fuel type (diesel instead of gasoline) without realizing it. In this case, when the heat engine is put back into operation it is supplied with fuel of the wrong type or a mixture of types for which it was not designed, and therefore begins to malfunction more or less quickly. This malfunction alerts the driver, but the time it takes for the latter to decide to stop operating the thermal engine may be more or less long, and therefore the damage caused to the latter may be more or less significant.

Currently, there is no technique for quickly detecting a suspicion of filling the tank with a type of fuel other than the gasoline for which the thermal engine was designed. Only sometimes, but not systematically, there is a difference in dimensions between the pouring spouts of the gasoline and diesel supply nozzles (in fact the spout pourer of the gasoline supply nozzle is narrower than that of the diesel supply nozzle). But despite this difference, filling errors sometimes occur.

When such an error occurs and the vehicle user has completely drained the fuel then put gasoline back into the tank, it is very difficult to detect this hidden error with certainty in an after-sales service when this vehicle is brought in for a thermal engine problem. When the vehicle is under warranty and the hidden error has not been detected in the after-sales service, the repair costs are entirely borne by the vehicle manufacturer, even though this type of error is not is usually not covered by warranty.

The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation.

DE 10 2005 035269 A1 discloses fuel tank misfill detection for motor vehicles, which involves emitting a signal from a knock sensor if wrong fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine.

Presentation of the invention

It proposes in particular for this purpose a vehicle comprising a thermal engine powered by at least one gasoline type fuel injector, coming from a tank, to provide torque to move it, and a supervision computer controlling the power supply and operation of this heat engine.

This vehicle is characterized by the fact that its supervision computer is arranged to carry out the operations consisting, in the event of detection of filling of the tank, of detecting, after restarting the thermal engine, when the latter will have consumed a quantity of fuel equal to a predefined value, then, once this detection has been carried out, to analyze the operation of the heat engine for a chosen duration, and, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the heat engine, to trigger storage of data representative of 'a suspicion of filling the tank with a type of fuel other than gasoline.

Thanks to the invention, we now have stored suspicion data which can then be retrieved in an after-sales service, for example following a problem in the operation of the heat engine, with a view to being used as a factual element used to establishment of the diagnosis by the after-sales service in order to offer the best troubleshooting solutions to the customer.

• la durée choisie d'analyse peut être comprise entre 100 secondes et 300 secondes ;
• il peut comprendre un capteur détectant chaque introduction d'un pistolet d'alimentation en carburant dans un conduit d'alimentation du réservoir et générant un message dédié chaque fois qu'il effectue une telle détection ;
• en variante, son calculateur de supervision peut être agencé pour effectuer les opérations consistant à comparer des première et seconde quantités de carburant présentes dans le réservoir respectivement juste avant le remplissage détecté et juste après une nouvelle mise en fonctionnement du moteur thermique, et à détecter un remplissage du réservoir lorsque la seconde quantité est supérieure à la première quantité ;
• en présence d'au moins deux injecteurs alimentant respectivement au moins deux cylindres, son calculateur de supervision peut être agencé pour effectuer les opérations consistant à décider qu'il y a un dysfonctionnement en cas de détection d'un dysfonctionnement dans chacun des cylindres ;
• son calculateur de supervision peut être agencé pour effectuer les opérations consistant à sommer chaque quantité de carburant injectée par chaque injecteur, et à détecter que le moteur thermique a consommé la valeur prédéfinie lorsque cette somme devient supérieure ou égale à cette valeur prédéfinie ;
• son calculateur de supervision peut être agencé pour effectuer les opérations consistant, en cas de détection d'un dysfonctionnement du moteur thermique, à générer un message destiné à informer un passager du véhicule d'une suspicion de remplissage du réservoir avec un type de carburant différent de l'essence, puis à déclencher un affichage de ce message sur au moins un écran présent dans le véhicule et/ou une diffusion de ce message par au moins un haut-parleur présent dans le véhicule ;
• il peut être de type automobile.

The vehicle according to the invention may include other characteristics which can be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

• the chosen analysis duration can be between 100 seconds and 300 seconds;
• it may include a sensor detecting each introduction of a fuel supply nozzle into a supply conduit of the tank and generating a dedicated message each time it makes such a detection;
• alternatively, its supervision computer can be arranged to carry out the operations consisting of comparing the first and second quantities of fuel present in the tank respectively just before the detected filling and just after a new start-up of the thermal engine, and to detect a filling the tank when the second quantity is greater than the first quantity;
• in the presence of at least two injectors respectively supplying at least two cylinders, its supervision computer can be arranged to carry out the operations consisting of deciding that there is a malfunction in the event of detection of a malfunction in each of the cylinders;
• its supervision computer can be arranged to perform the operations consisting of adding each quantity of fuel injected by each injector, and detecting that the heat engine has consumed the predefined value when this sum becomes greater than or equal to this predefined value;
• its supervision computer can be arranged to carry out the operations consisting, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the thermal engine, of generating a message intended to inform a passenger of the vehicle of a suspicion of filling of the tank with a different type of fuel gasoline, then triggering a display of this message on at least one screen present in the vehicle and/or a broadcast of this message by at least one loudspeaker present in the vehicle;
• it can be of the automobile type.

The invention also proposes a control method, on the one hand, intended to be implemented in a vehicle comprising a thermal engine powered by at least one gasoline type fuel injector, coming from a tank, to provide torque to move it.

This control method is characterized by the fact that it comprises a step in which a filling of the tank is detected, then, after restarting the heat engine, it is detected when the latter will have consumed a quantity of fuel equal to a value predefined, then, once this detection has been carried out, the operation of the heat engine is analyzed for a chosen duration, and, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the heat engine, data representative of a suspicion of filling of the tank with a type of fuel different from gasoline. The invention also proposes a computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by processing means, is capable of implementing a control method of the type of that presented above to control , in a vehicle comprising a thermal engine powered by at least one gasoline type fuel injector, coming from a tank, to provide torque to move it, if the type of fuel supplying the thermal engine is gasoline.

Brief description of the figures

• [Fig. 1] illustre schématiquement et fonctionnellement, dans une vue de dessus, un exemple de réalisation d'un véhicule selon l'invention,
• [Fig. 2] illustre schématiquement et fonctionnellement un exemple de réalisation d'un calculateur de supervision, et
• [Fig. 3] illustre schématiquement un exemple d'algorithme mettant en oeuvre un procédé de contrôle selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examination of the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

• [ Fig. 1 ] illustrates schematically and functionally, in a top view, an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention,
• [ Fig. 2 ] illustrates schematically and functionally an example of realization of a supervision computer, and
• [ Fig. 3 ] schematically illustrates an example of an algorithm implementing a control method according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention aims in particular to propose a vehicle V comprising a powertrain (or GMP) comprising at least one thermal engine MT powered by at least one injector IN with gasoline type fuel, and in which it can be controlled whether the type of fuel supplying the engine thermal MT is gasoline.

In what follows, we consider, by way of non-limiting example, that the vehicle V is of the automobile type. This is for example a car, as illustrated in the figure 1 . But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It concerns any type of vehicle comprising a powertrain (or GMP) comprising at least one gasoline engine. Thus, it concerns all land vehicles (utility vehicles, campers, minibuses, coaches, trucks, motorcycles, road machinery, construction machinery, agricultural machinery, leisure machinery (snowmobile, kart), and tracked machinery(s) ), boats and aircraft.

We have schematically represented on the figure 1 a vehicle V, according to the invention, comprising a GMP comprising a gasoline-powered MT thermal engine, and a CS supervision computer capable of controlling (or supervising) the power supply and operation of at least this MT thermal engine.

The thermal engine MT is powered by at least one injector IN with gasoline type fuel, coming from a tank RC, in order to provide torque to move the vehicle V on the order of the supervision computer CS. This supply of each injector IN is done here via a first pump P1 sucking fuel into the tank RC to supply fuel at low pressure to a first conduit C1, a second high pressure pump P2 coupled to the first conduit C1 and supplying fuel to high pressure a second conduit C2, a high pressure ramp (or rail) RH coupled to the second conduit C2 and supplying each injector IN with fuel under high pressure. The operations of the first P1 and second P2 pumps and of each injector IN are controlled (or supervised) by the supervision computer CS.

The CS supervision computer is also arranged so as to intervene each time a filling of the RC tank has been detected. In this case, the supervision computer CS is arranged to carry out the operations consisting of detecting, after restarting the thermal engine MT, when the latter MT will have consumed a quantity of fuel qct which is equal to a predefined value vp. Then, once this detection has been carried out (and therefore when qct ≥ vp), the supervision computer CS is arranged to carry out the operations consisting of analyzing the operation of the thermal engine MT for a chosen duration dc, and, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the thermal engine MT, to trigger a storage of data which are representative of a suspicion of filling of the tank RC with a type of fuel which is different gasoline.

The predefined value vp is, for example, the sum of the quantities of fuel which are respectively contained in the first pump P1, the first conduit C1, the second pump P2, the second conduit C2, the high pressure ramp (or rail) RH and each IN injector.

It will be noted that the quantities of fuel which are considered here can be volumes or masses.

It will be understood that from the moment the quantity of fuel qct consumed becomes equal to the predefined value vp, we are certain that the fuel which supplies each injector IN comes from the tank RC and therefore comes at least in part from the filling coming from be detected. Consequently, we decide to monitor the operation of the thermal engine MT for a chosen duration from beginning to the moment when the condition qct ≥ vp becomes satisfied, because it is from this moment that the injected fuel risks causing a malfunction. of the MT heat engine. If a malfunction of the thermal engine MT is detected during the chosen duration (of analysis) while its operation was normal before the last fuel filling, there is a very high probability that the new fuel put in the RC tank will not be not gasoline.

Here we mean by “malfunction” what is frequently called a misfire (or in English “misfire”) of the MT heat engine. This phenomenon corresponds to poor combustion inducing pressures in the cylinders lower than normal combustion and resulting in a deficit of indicated engine torque. Usually the detection is based on the real-time analysis of the engine speed and the torque expected to be produced by the MT heat engine. By applying the fundamental principle of dynamics it is possible to detect any inconsistency, which then makes it possible to determine whether the operation of the MT heat engine is normal or abnormal. Of course, this type of inconsistency detection is not limiting and other types of inconsistency detection exist (and are well known to those skilled in the art).

The stored suspicion data is for example in the form of a specific code which can then be retrieved in an after-sales service when the vehicle V is brought in, for example following an operating problem with its thermal engine MT. Thus, the automobile manufacturer can have important and factual information for its analysis. He can in fact use it in an after-sales service to establish a diagnosis and offer the best troubleshooting solutions to the customer.

For example, the chosen (analysis) duration can be between 100 seconds and 300 seconds. Thus, this chosen duration (of analysis) can, for example, be equal to 200 seconds.

Detecting filling can be done in at least two ways.

In a first way, the vehicle V can include a sensor detecting each introduction of a (nozzle of) fuel supply gun into the supply conduit of its RC tank, and generating a dedicated message each time it performs a such detection. It will be understood that in this case the dedicated message (signalling the introduction) is transmitted at least to the supervision computer CS, and therefore the latter (CS) will begin to monitor the quantity of fuel qct consumed by the thermal engine MT as soon as it is restarted. operation of the latter (MT).

In a second way, it is the CS supervision computer which itself carries out the detection. More precisely, in this case the supervision computer CS is arranged to carry out the operations consisting of comparing the first quantity of fuel q1 present in the tank RC just before the detected filling and the second quantity of fuel q2 present in the tank RC just after the new operation of the thermal engine MT, and to detect the filling of the tank RC when this second quantity q2 is greater than this first quantity q1 (i.e. q2 > q1). It will be noted that in the presence of at least two IN injectors respectively supplying at least two cylinders, the supervision computer CS can be arranged to carry out the operations consisting of deciding that there is a malfunction in the event of detection of a malfunction. in each of these cylinders. If at least one cylinder operates normally once the chosen delay has elapsed, then the CS supervision computer considers that there is no has no overall malfunction of the MT heat engine, and therefore does not trigger suspicious data storage.

It will also be noted that the supervision computer CS can be arranged to carry out the operations consisting of adding each quantity of fuel qc injected by each injector IN, and to detect that the thermal engine MT has consumed the predefined value vp of fuel when this sum qct becomes greater than or equal to this predefined value vp (i.e. qct = Σ(qc) ≥ vp).

It will also be noted that the supervision computer CS can be arranged to store the suspicion data (for example a specific code) in a memory (possibly dedicated) that it includes or to trigger this storage in a memory used for the storage of numerous life information of the vehicle V. In the latter case it can, for example, be part of what those skilled in the art sometimes call the intelligent utility box (or BSI - supervision equipment). The transmission by the supervision computer CS to the memory of messages containing the fault codes is then done via a communications network on board the vehicle V, and possibly multiplexed.

It will also be noted that the supervision computer CS can be arranged to carry out the operations consisting, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the thermal engine MT, in generating a dedicated message which is intended to inform a passenger of the vehicle V of a suspicion Filling the RC tank with a type of fuel that is different from gasoline. In this case, the supervision computer CS then triggers a display of this dedicated message on at least one screen present in the vehicle V and/or a broadcast of this dedicated message by at least one loudspeaker present in the vehicle V. L the display of the dedicated message can be done, for example, on the screen of the central instrument panel or the dashboard, or on the screen of communication equipment temporarily on board the vehicle V, capable of communicating with at least one calculator of the latter (V), and accompanying a passenger, such as for example a smart mobile phone (or “smartphone”) or a communicating electronic tablet. The sound broadcasting of the dedicated message can be done, for example, by at least a loudspeaker permanently fitted to the vehicle V or a loudspeaker fitted to communication equipment temporarily on board the vehicle V.

In order to ensure its functions (and therefore its operations), the supervision computer CS comprises at least one processor PR, for example a digital signal processor (or DSP (“Digital Signal Processor”)), and at least one memory MD. The processor PR may include integrated (or printed) circuits, or several integrated (or printed) circuits connected by wired or non-wired connections. By integrated (or printed) circuit we mean any type of device capable of performing at least one electrical or electronic operation. The memory MD is RAM in order to store instructions for the implementation by the processor PR of at least part of the control method described below. The CS supervision computer can therefore be produced in the form of a combination of electrical or electronic circuits or components (or “hardware”) and software modules (or “software”).

Note also, as illustrated non-limitatively in the figure 2 , which the supervision computer CS can also include (in addition to its RAM memory MD and its processor PR), a mass memory MM, in particular for storing the quantities of fuel qc successively consumed (or injected) and the information representative of the operation of the MT heat engine, and intermediate data involved in all its calculations and processing. Furthermore, the supervision computer CS can also include an input interface IE for receiving at least the quantities of fuel qc and the information representative of the operation of the thermal engine MT, to use them in calculations or processing, possibly after having shaped and/or demodulated and/or amplified them, in a manner known per se, by means of a digital signal processor PR'. In addition, the CS supervision computer can also include an IS output interface, in particular to deliver its messages and orders (at least for the storage of suspicion data and any dedicated messages).

The invention can also be considered in the form of a control method intended to be implemented in the vehicle V. This control method can be implemented at least partially by the CS supervision computer described above.

This control method includes a step 10-70 in which we start by detecting a filling of the RC tank. Then, this step 10-70 continues after restarting the thermal engine MT, by detecting when the latter (MT) has consumed a quantity of fuel equal to a predefined value vp. Then, this step 10-70 continues once this detection has been carried out, by an analysis of the operation of the heat engine MT for a chosen duration dc. Then, this step 10-70 continues, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the thermal engine MT, by storing data representative of a suspicion of filling of the RC tank with a type of fuel other than gasoline.

We have schematically illustrated on the Figure 3 an example of an algorithm implementing a control method according to the invention.

The algorithm includes a sub-step 10 in which a filling of the RC tank is detected.

Then, in a sub-step 20, after restarting the thermal engine MT, we calculate the quantity of fuel qct consumed by the thermal engine MT since the start of this restart, and in a sub-step 30 we compare this quantity of fuel qct at a predefined value vp.

As long as the quantity of fuel consumed qct is less than this predefined value vp (qct < vp), we return to carry out substep 20 to update the quantity of fuel consumed qct.

When the quantity of fuel consumed qct becomes greater than or equal to the predefined value vp (qct ≥ vp), the operation of the heat engine MT is analyzed in a substep 40 for a chosen duration dc.

In the absence of detection of a malfunction of the heat engine MT during the chosen duration dc, the algorithm (and therefore the control method) is interrupted in a sub-step 50.

On the other hand, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the thermal engine MT during this chosen duration dc, we store in a sub-step 60 data which are representative of a suspicion of filling the RC tank with a type of fuel other than gasoline.

Then, in a sub-step 70 it is possible to warn a passenger of vehicle V of this suspicion, by means of a dedicated message.

It will also be noted that the invention also proposes a computer program product (or computer program) comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by processing means of the electronic circuit (or hardware) type, such as for example the processor PR, is able to implement the control method described above to check after filling the RC tank of the vehicle V whether the type of fuel supplying its thermal engine MT is gasoline.

It should also be noted that one or more sub-steps of the control process step can be carried out by different components. Thus, the control method can be implemented by a plurality of digital signal processors, random access memory, mass memory, input interface, output interface.

Claims (10)

1. Vehicle (V) comprising a thermal engine (MT) powered by at least one injector (IN) with gasoline type fuel, coming from a tank (RC), to provide torque to move it, and a supervision computer (CS ) controlling the power supply and the operation of said thermal engine (MT), said supervision computer (CS) is arranged to carry out the operations consisting, in the event of detection of filling of said tank (RC), to detect, after a reset in operation of said heat engine (MT), when the latter (MT) has consumed a quantity of fuel equal to a predefined value, then, once this detection has been carried out, to analyze the operation of said heat engine (MT) for a chosen duration, and, in the event of detection of a malfunction of said thermal engine (MT), to trigger storage of data representative of a suspicion of filling of said tank (RC) with a type of fuel other than gasoline.
2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said chosen duration is between 100 seconds and 300 seconds.
3. Vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a sensor detecting each introduction of a fuel supply nozzle into a supply conduit of said tank (RC) and generating a dedicated message each time it performs such detection.
4. Vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said supervision computer (CS) is arranged to carry out the operations consisting of comparing first and second quantities of fuel present in said tank (RC) respectively just before said detected filling and just after a new start-up of said heat engine (MT), and to detect a filling of said tank (RC) when said second quantity is greater than said first quantity.
5. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the presence of at least two injectors (IN) respectively supplying at least two cylinders, said supervision computer (CS) is arranged to carry out the operations consisting of deciding that there is a malfunction in the event of detection of a malfunction in each of said cylinders.
6. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said supervision computer (CS) is arranged to carry out the operations consisting of adding each quantity of fuel injected by each injector (IN), and to detect that the thermal engine (MT) has consumed said predefined value when said sum becomes greater than or equal to this predefined value.
7. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said supervision computer (CS) is arranged to carry out the operations consisting, in the event of detection of a malfunction of the thermal engine (MT), in generating a message intended to inform a passenger of said vehicle (V) of a suspicion of filling of said tank (RC) with a type of fuel other than gasoline, then to trigger a display of said message on at least one screen present in said vehicle (V) and/or broadcasting of said message by at least one loudspeaker present in said vehicle (V).
8. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is of the automobile type.
9. Control method for a vehicle (V) comprising a thermal engine (MT) supplied by at least one injector (IN) with gasoline type fuel, coming from a tank (RC), to provide torque to move it, said method comprises a step (10-70) in which a filling of said tank (RC) is detected, then, after restarting of said thermal engine (MT), we detect when the latter (MT) will have consumed a quantity of fuel equal to a predefined value, then, once this detection has been carried out, the operation of said heat engine (MT) is analyzed for a chosen duration, and, in the event of detection of a malfunction of said heat engine (MT), data representative of 'a suspicion of filling said tank (RC) with a type of fuel other than gasoline.
10. Computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by processing means, is capable of implementing the control method according to claim 9 to control, in a vehicle (V) comprising an engine thermal engine (MT) supplied by at least one injector (IN) with gasoline type fuel, coming from a tank (RC), to provide torque to move it, if the type of fuel supplying said thermal engine (MT) is gasoline.

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